April 10, 2013

Your Taxes Will Go A Long, Long Way

This morning, I saw this huge billboard of the BIR and Department of Finance in EDSA-Ortigas. It says "Your Taxes Will Go A Long, Long Way' and the bridge was made up of the words 'taxes.' I agree with the BIR and DOF actually that we should pay our taxes correctly. Since I am a salaried employee, my taxes are already deducted from my monthly salary. I have no other income so I dont need to file any additional income tax returns. It is really sad when you hear about people who are able to get away with paying their correct taxes. Take doctors for example. I have this personal experience with the obstetrician of my sister. When we paid her professional fees, I asked for a receipt since we need that as an attachment to my sister's health card. The assistant said that if we will ask for a receipt, we will need to pay an additional P500 for it. I cant remember what I did then but I think we ended not asking for a receipt since we were begging for a discount. So, if they do not issue receipts, how are they taxed? Recently, my mother-in-law was hospitalized and the fee for the doctor was P2,000 and it was written just on a notepad. We paid it in cash at the cashier, and they just signed on it, no receipt was issued since they were just receiving the payment for the doctor. And when you ask for a receipt, saying that you will claim for Philhealth, they will say that their fee is already net of Philhealth. Oh well, I just hope that the BIR and the DOF find a way soon to make them pay their taxes correctly. And I also hope that those taxes are really then used for the service of the people, and not corrupted by a few. One can dream, right?